The present disclosure relates to a disc prosthesis for use in the treatment of spinal disorders (particularly in the cervical region thereof).
The spine is made up of a series of connected bones called as the vertebra and assumes the main functions of carrying the body weight, constituting the body, etc. The vertebrae are connected by a disc and two small joints which are called as the facet joints. These disc and facet joints in the spine allow for movements, for bending, and particularly for turning the neck and the back. The disc is made up of strong connective tissues connecting one vertebra to the next and acts as a cushion or shock absorber between the vertebrae. The structure of the spine is preserved because the movement is restricted to those vertebrae which are proximate to each other due to the shape and the condition of the articular surfaces and the strong braking effects in the vertebrae, because the movements of the spine are spread over many joints, and because the movement between neighbouring vertebrae is low. Having said that, the spine is capable of making movements in many various directions as a result of the concurrent movements occurring in many vertebrae.
Due to aging and negative conditions (e.g. accidents, incorrect body movements), degenerative disorders are seen in the discs, which separate the vertebrae from each other and affect connecting flexible and fibrous tissues. In a disease called as the hernia, for instance, the fibrous tissue ring covering the flexible center of the disk weakens so that the disc center protrudes and exerts pressure to the spine or to the regions where the nerve roots protrudes from between the vertebrae. The regions of the spine at which this is most frequently encountered are the lower part of the waist (i.e. the lumbar region) and the cervical region. Disc prostheses, which are capable of preventing or mitigating the pressure exerted by the discs to the spine and to the nerves, can be used in the treatment of these degenerative diseases.